Sorry Now
by OptimusPrime2017
Summary: During AWE. Guilt has weighed her down ever since she chained him to the mast. She might've said that she wasn't sorry then, but she was now. He wasn't the same since they 'saved' him. How ironic he thought it was that she came back after she was the one to put him there in the first place. He didn't know if he could forgive the woman again. Or could he? Rated M for adult content.
1. Chapter 1

**OptimusPrime2017 presents to you,**

 **A Pirates of the Caribbean fanfic;**

 **Sorry Now**

 **Chapter 1:**

Elizabeth Swann was guilty. She was so, very guilty. She'd killed Captain Jack Sparrow, one of the nine pirate lords. Well, technically she'd chained him to a mast and left him for dead, but she still felt overwhelmingly guilty for it.

" _Four of you have tried to kill me in the past and one of you succeeded." Jack had said, glaring at her._

 _Will looked back at her, shocked and confused, then back at Jack. She tried to say something, but her voice wouldn't work._

" _Oh." Jack said, slightly smiling. "She's not told you. You'll have loads to talk about while you're here."_

She remembered that moment like it was only an hour ago. The way he said it was worse than him being angry over it. He was probably enraged, deep down. Very enraged. Just hiding his anger from them, trying to act like it hadn't happened.

Jack had gotten smarter, if crazier too, after the time in Davy Jones' Locker. He figured out how to return to the world of the living. Yet he still wasn't the same. Not talking very often. And since they were sailing to Shipwreck Cove, he didn't seem very enthusiastic. Gibbs had tried to ask him why, but the man said that the captain didn't tell him. The poor man had locked himself in his cabin in the last couple of days, probably lost in himself.

The crew had gone to bed long ago. Elizabeth had tried, but she couldn't sleep with the guilt weighing her down. She got out of her bed in her private room below deck and slipped on her boots. She walked out of the room, gently closing the door. She slipped around the sleeping men and up the stairs onto the main deck. She walked over to the captain's cabin, hesitating. A dim light shone under the crack of the door, proving that the captain was indeed still awake.

"Jack?" She said in a slightly raised voice, knocking on the door. "Jack, open up. I know you're awake."

She heard grumbling inside the door and a thump, followed by an "Ow!" before the door finally opened. Jack stood there, arms crossed across his chest. "Well?" He scowled. "Come in."

Elizabeth stepped inside, moving out of the way. Jack closed the door roughly, nearly slamming it. He stumbled over to his desk, sitting down in the chair and putting up his feet, being careful not to knock over the candle.

"What do you want, 'Lizabeth?" Jack sounded annoyed.

"Jack…" Elizabeth began, unsure of how to say what she wanted to say. "I'm so sorry for what I did."

"That's not what you said when you chained me to the mast." He retorted.

She didn't know what to say. Her gaze moved to the floor. "That was then Jack. I'm sorry now."

"Why are you apologizing?" He asked her.

"B-because I really am sorry." She whispered.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get out of here. We'll talk tomorrow." He growled.

"Aren't you going to kill me for revenge?" She suggested.

"What?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "Why would I do that?"

"I killed you…" Elizabeth reminded him. "It's only fair."

"No." His voice was cold. "Not leave before I change me mind about that."

"O-okay." She said in a shaky voice. She reached the door and opened it, stopping in the doorway. "I'm so sorry, Jack."

She closed the door and left, not feeling much better.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack stepped from his cabin early the next morning, weary after a night of no sleep. Every time his mind slipped, he'd find himself talking to in a world of Jacks. He couldn't live with it. He forced himself to stay busy and awake. He watched Barbossa at the helm, sighing. He spotted Elizabeth leaning over the railing, miserably looking at the water. As angry as he was with her, he had to feel sorry. He hadn't exactly been very welcoming last night.

Every night, the crew had some kind of party below deck before they went to bed. Jack hasn't attended even one yet, which was surprising because he's usually one for rum. He hadn't even left his cabin the day before. He didn't know why he was out now, but it just felt right to him. Breath in some fresh air after a long night.

Jack walked over to the railing, leaning over it. He was only a few feet away from Elizabeth. He did his best to ignore her, looking at the sun as it rose slowly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her turn her head towards him. She was probably surprised to see him there.

"Jack?" She said.

He sighed, not looking her way.

"You look awful." She told him. "Did you even sleep?"

"No." He replied tonelessly. His eyelids felt heavy, drooping shut. Then his eyes snapped open. He was not going to fall asleep, especially out on deck. He shook his head. "Doesn't matter."

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked.

Jack snorted. "Of course not. The Locker has nearly driven me insane. Thank you very much for that." He glared at her, seeing her looking at the wooden planks of the deck, guilt in her eyes. He sighed, repositioning his hat on his head. He might be angry with her, but he heard the harshness to his voice. He glanced at her before looking back out across the water. Then he mumbled,"I'm sorry. I'm just getting used to believing that I'm alive again…"

"I'm sorry too…" She murmured. "I'm the reason all of this has happened."

"I'll get over it eventually." He told her, walking off back towards his cabin slowly. Then he repeated,"Eventually."

He entered his cabin and closed the door, throwing himself in the back corner of the room to prowl through his crazy thoughts. His eyes drifted under the bed, where a stash of rum sat in a chest. He forced himself not to get up and go get a bottle. It wouldn't do him any good. He began to grow more tired the longer he sat there. Fearing of falling asleep, he got to his feet and paced back and forth across the cabin.

Once he felt like he wasn't going to fall asleep on the spot, he sat back in the corner, remembering the moment the kraken ate him.

 _Searing pain coursed through his body as the creature's many sharp teeth pierced his skin. He saw his own blood leaking down the kraken's throat. He let out a strangled noise, wanting to throw up. His legs were like jelly. He collapsed on the creature's tongue, whimpering in pain. He felt the blood trickling over his skin, not wanting to look down at his probably mutilated body._

 _He did it anyway. There were cuts and other bloody marks all over his body. His boots were falling apart and his shirt was ripped to shreds. His sword lay a few feet away. He groaned before falling onto his side from where he knelt. His breath came in wheezy gasps. He felt his body sliding as the tongue moved upwards. He tumbled over himself, his vision blurry. He let out his finally cry of pain as a tooth pierced his back, stabbing all the way through his chest. His vision faded._

He let out a strangled noise of fear and shook his head. Maybe he should go for the rum...No. No, he wasn't going to do it. _Stay strong, Jackie._ He remembered Teague's words. _It'll be fine._ His mind slipped back to when he first opened his eyes in the Locker.

 _His eyes snapped open and he sat up, groaning and rubbing his aching head. Everything was so...bright. The blue sky sat above him, the sun burning into his skin. He looked around. He was in some sandy place. How'd he get here? The last thing he remembered was...Oh._

 _He was dead._

 _He was in Davy Jones' Locker._

 _He got to his feet, looking around. In the distance, he saw the faint outline of a ship. Was that his ship? The Pearl? In the Locker?_

 _He smirked his usual smirk and began running towards it._

Jack's eyes snapped open and he shook his head. His body was covered in a cold sweat. He knew that wasn't even a horrible memory. But it was the start of his horrible, lonely time in there. His stomach growled, yet he ignored it.

He wasn't going to drink.

He wasn't going to eat.

It wouldn't change anything, he was already suffering enough, thanks to Miss Swann.

Someone knocked on his door. "Captain?" Gibbs called through the door. "Open up! Ye can't stay in there forever, Jack!"

"No, no, no…" He muttered, wanting the man to leave him alone. "Go away!"

"Ye heard me, Jack." The man persisted. "Now open the door before I do it meself."

"Go ahead…" He said to himself. "I'm not going anywhere."


	3. Chapter 3

The door opened and the First Mate walked in, though he nearly jumped at the sight of his captain.

"I thought I said 'go away'." Jack sighed.

"Jack, ye can't hide in here forever." Gibbs told him. "You look awful just after one day."

"So?"

"The crew's tired of Barbossa as captain, Jack. We need _you_ out there."

"Hector's doing a fine job." He shrugged.

"That's not what the real Jack would say." The First Mate grumbled.

"Well, blame Miss Swann for that." Jack said in a toneless voice. "She's the reason most of this has happened."

"So it's true, Jack?" Gibbs gaped. "She really killed ye?"

"Left me for kraken meat, actually, but yes."

"How'd she do it?"

"That doesn't matter." He scowled. "All that matters is that she did it."

Gibbs sighed, reaching his hand down towards him. Jack took it and was pulled to his feet.

"We need to get you back to your old self…" The man grumbled. "I'll be right back."

"I'd rather ye don't." He muttered in reply.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. He left the cabin, but before the door closed Jack caught a glimpse of him talking to young Will Turner. Then the door closed.

*X*

Jack looked up from his desk chair and raised his eyebrows as Will and Gibbs entered. The First Mate carried a tray of food over to the table and set it down. Jack looked at it, uninterested.

"You need to eat, Jack." Will told him.

"Don't order me around, Mr. Turner." He retorted. He wanted to add _because I'm the captain here_ into that statement, but he remembered that Barbossa was. "Not in the mood."

"Too bad." The lad replied. "You should eat, unless you're _trying_ to starve yourself."

"Not hungry." Jack crossed his arms, leaning back in the chair. His stomach growled. "Nice bloody timing…"

Gibbs snorted in obvious amusement. "Ye need to eat."

"Don't really care, mate." He replied. He tipped the chair back a little farther. Too far. He felt it falling over and the back of the chair slammed into the ground. "Ow. Didn't expect that." He got up on unsteady legs and put the chair back on its legs, sticking it under the table. "Why're ye both in here anyway? I'm fine! I could take the wheel, _if_ I wanted."

"Which you don't want to do." Will sighed, rolling his eyes. "And that proves that you're not doing too well."

"Am too!" Jack lied, wanting them to leave.

"If ye were fine, Jack, ye'd be drinking rum." Gibbs said, pointing underneath the bed.

"How long did ye know that was there?" He grumbled.

"Jack." Will almost shouted.

Reluctantly, Jack looked his way. "What?"

"What happened to you?" The young man asked. "You weren't like this before-"

"Before I died." He finished. "I know."

"What happened in the Locker to make ye this way?" Gibbs spoke up.

"Nothing." Jack told him truthfully. "That's the thing. Nothing happened. Have you ever lived in a world where nothing else existed, Mr. Gibbs? Have you?"

"N-no, Jack." The First Mate seemed utterly shocked.

"Then you have no idea what the Locker's like, mate." He said in a quiet voice. "No idea how bad it is."

"Jack." Will cleared his throat. "Back when we rescued you-"

"Ye mean when I rescued all of _you_."

"Well, when that happened you said that one of us succeeded in killing you. You looked to Elizabeth and blamed her for something. What did she do to you?"

"She tricked me." Jack answered as he finally gave in, sagging his shoulders. "She chained me to the mast. I got free, but the beast was right there. The Kraken was right there."

Will looked genuinely shocked. "Do you know why she chained you to the mast?"

"Aye. I do." He nodded. "The beast was always after me-not the Pearl, not any of you. Me. She figured it out and left me for dead. She tricked me to save her own skin!"

"That's what pirates do, Jack." The lad reminded him. "You used to do it all the time, remember?"

"Oh…right." Jack sighed. "Well...I thought you two came in to motivate me, not make me even less cooperable."

"Don't change the subject!" Will demanded.

He flinched. "You're not the captain, mate. Can't order me around."

"Neither are you." He retorted. "Barbossa is the captain."

"Enough." Gibbs scowled, pulling Will away from Jack. "I'm the First Mate, so I can order both of ye around." He turned to the lad. "Will, I brought you in here to _help_ me, lad."

"Aye…" The young pirate nodded, remembering. "Sorry. Got carried away."

"Obviously." Jack rolled his eyes from nearby.

"Shut it!" Gibbs snapped at him.

He jumped backwards a bit, startled. He never knew the older man to be harsh like that. Jack raised his hands innocently, glaring at him strangely.

"Will, go wait outside, you're not helping anything." Gibbs ordered.

"Alright." Will consented, walking towards the door.

Once he was gone, Gibbs turned back to him. "What's wrong with ye, Jack?"

"Pretty much everything." He shrugged. "Everything since I was killed anyway."

"In a few days, we'll be reaching Shipwreck Cove." The man told him. "You're one of the pirate lords, Jack. We need you to act normal during the meeting. What will it take to make you normal?"

"Don't know, mate. Maybe this is the new normal."


	4. Chapter 4

"Elizabeth." Gibbs greeted her.

"Mr. Gibbs." Elizabeth gave a small smile. Then she noted his downhearted expression. "What is it?"

"It's Jack." The man sighed, shaking his head. "He won't cooperate with anyone. Not even Will. The two of them almost pulled swords on each other."

"Really?" She asked, shocked. Had she really done that much damage to Jack?

"Afraid so, miss." The First Mate nodded gravely. "You can try to convince him if you want, but chances are he'll be most hostile to you."

In that moment she had her mind made up. "I'll go in there. What do I need to do?"

"Make him eat so he doesn't starve, make him drink so he doesn't die of dehydration." Gibbs shrugged. "Make him sleep because he looks like he hasn't slept since we got him."

"Okay." She nodded. "I'll do my best."

"Elizabeth." He called after her. She turned back, confused. He gave a not very reassuring look. "Good luck."

*X*

Elizabeth opened the door of Jack's dark, unlighted cabin, hearing it creak. She softly closed it, letting her eyes adjust to the poor light as she looked around.

"Jack?" She called in a soft voice.

"Won't anyone leave me alone?" An annoyed voice came from the back corner of the room.

She walked towards him, stopping in front of him. "Jack."

"'Lizabeth." Jack sighed. "Why are _you_ in here?"

"To help you." She told him, her voice not as gentle as before.

"Why does everyone want to help me?" He complained. "I don't need help. For the third time, I'm fine!"

"No, you're not." She responded.

"I am too."

"You are not."

"Am."

"Not."

"Am."

"Jack!" She half yelled in annoyance. "Listen to me. You need help. You haven't been the same since...since I killed you."

The pirate raised his eyebrows. "So?"

"So, the point is, you need help."

"You already told me that."

"Look….Jack," She said quietly. "I'm really sorry about it. I shouldn't have done it."

"Some things can't be prevented." Jack murmured, his voice showing acceptance in it. He sighed. "Look, the kraken was going to catch us anyway, one way or another. Perhaps it's for the best that it only got me instead of all of ye."

"Jack…" She gasped, shocked at his acceptance towards all of this.

"Sometimes change is good after all." He finished, slowly getting to his feet. "Don't feel bad about it, savvy? I'll be fine in a few days' time."

Elizabeth couldn't think hard enough to form a complete sentence, so she just stood there staring at him.

"What?" Jack asked, skirting around her. "Need to light that bloody candle so I can see things…"

A minutes later the room was bright and she squinted in the light. "Jack-"

"Don't worry, I'll eat." He read her mind.

She walked over to the door and was about to leave. Before her hand could touch the handle, she heard him clear his throat.

"'Lizabeth." He spoke up. "I'm sorry about last night."

"It's alright…" She finally said.

"Also," He continued. "There's going to be another one of those _parties_ below deck tonight. Care to join?"


	5. Chapter 5

Jack sat at a table below deck, staying out of the way of the rest of the men. He held an unopened bottle of rum in his hands, debating whether he should drink it or not. The men had already had their share of rum and were messing around now. He was just waiting for Elizabeth, who'd agreed to join him after all.

He leaned back in the chair, hoping it wouldn't fall over like last time. He smirked when he saw Will laying in his hammock, warily watching the drunk crew. The younger man spotted him looking in his direction. He cast him a curious, surprised glance, getting out of his hammock and stumbling over to his side.

"Jack?" Will looked at him in disbelief.

"Will." Jack replied. "Stop staring at me like I'm a ghost or something."

"Sorry." The lad replied. "What'd Elizabeth say to get you to come out here?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't really know, actually. Jus' know that I don't know what she knows."

"What?" Will looked at him, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Nevermind." Jack sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Good to see you up and out again, Jack." The former blacksmith told him with a small smile, walking back to his hammock and laying down again.

"So am I, lad." The man muttered to himself.

He leaned back once again, closing his eyes as he waited patiently. He didn't realize his mind slip back into some old memories.

" _The world used to be a bigger place." Barbossa sighed._

" _The world's still the same. There's just...less in it." He spoke truthfully._

He blinked and sighed, crossing his arms. He remembered that conversation very well. He was right, after all. The world wasn't shrinking, but all of the discoveries-all of the treasure-was being discovered. There was less in it than there had used to be.

 _He took a couple of shocked steps backward into the moonlight. He heard Barbossa let out a shocked noise. He raised his hand and looked at it, finding it as bones. He turned it in the air, studying it._

" _Interesting…"_

Jack smirked slightly. He had to admit, being a skeleton like that was downright pretty amazing. He'd do it again, given the chance. He gazed at the crew, not really looking at them, his mind away from the living world, in the world of memories.

 _He spotted the chain around his wrist, holding him to the mast. He smirked proudly. "Pirate."_

 _Elizabeth just swallowed, looking unsure of herself. She turned and stalked away, towards the longboat where the crew waited._

"Jack!" Elizabeth's voice pulled him back to the living world.

"What?" He asked, slowly remembering that his mind had slipped. "Oh...sorry 'bout that."

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Aye…" He nodded. "Jus' remembering stuff."

"Like what?" She asked, pulling a chair up beside him and sitting in it.

"Being an immortal skeleton." Jack shrugged. Then he grew serious, frowning. "You chaining me to the bloody mast."

"Oh…" Her guilty look returned.

"It's alright." He assured her. "Don't worry 'bout it. We're here to have a good time, savvy?"

"Yes. Right." She nodded.

Gibbs stumbled over, holding a full bottle of rum. He handed it to Elizabeth. "'Ere ye go, miss."

She took it. "Thank you."

"It be a pleas-sure." The man's words slurred.

He walked away, back towards the crew.

Jack let out a small laugh. "He's like that even when he's drunk, eh?"

"Apparently." Elizabeth replied, turning the unopened bottle in her hands. She pulled the cork out with difficulty. She saw that his own bottle was untouched. "Want to have a contest? To see who can drink their bottle first?"

His old smirk returned. "Aye. Let's do it then." He pulled his cork open. "On the count of three."

"Three." She said, surprising him.

He shrugged and they both began drinking as fast as they could. The power of the drink surprised him since he hadn't drank any of it in so long. He was only three-fourths of the way through it when Elizabeth tapped his shoulder and announced that she was done.

"That was fast." Jack told her with a sly grin as he corked his bottle.

"I'm surprised you didn't beat me." She grinned.

He shrugged. "Hadn't had rum in so long. Takes some getting used to after not having it for...how long was I in the Locker?"

She shook her head. "I don't even remember, Jack."

"Well, that's how long I haven't had rum." He finished with a small smile. Then he sighed and leaned back in the chair, eyeing the corked bottle in his hands. "Probably for the best, though…"

Elizabeth glanced in Will's direction. Jck saw her do it out of the corner of his yee. He turned and looked too. The young lad was asleep in the hammock. Half of the crew was in their own hammocks now too, snoring away. She looked back to him.

"Jack…" She placed a hand on his shoulder. Her voice was quieter than usual. There was a tired, sleepy look in her eyes. She wasn't all there because of the rum. He could see it. She leaned her head onto his shoulder and murmured,"Can you carry me back to my room?"

"Ye have legs." Jack reminded her. "Use them to walk."

"I'm too tired to walk." She told him in a whiny voice. "I'll just sleep here then."

He could only imagine what the crew would do to her. He shook his head in disagreement. "Fine. I'll carry ye to your room." He sighed.

Jack got to his feet, swaying from the rum he'd drank. Once he regained his balance, he put down the bottle he was holding and lifted her into his arms. He carefully through the hammocks, to the room in the back. He placed her down on the bed inside and turned to leave. He decided to turn back towards her to tell her something, but what he saw shocked him.

Elizabeth stood on the other side of the bed, completely naked.

"'L-Lizabeth?" He asked, not sure if his eyes were tricking him. "Ye should probably put something on and get to bed, savvy?"

Instead of answering, she plopped down on the bed, watching him carefully. Jack pulled out a chair at the only table in the room and sat down, resting his head in his hands on the wood. He sighed, eyeing her wearily.

Jack was barely aware of Elizabeth getting up and walking around behind him as his eyes drooped. He couldn't stay awake any longer.

The last thing he was aware of before he passed out was her soft hand running down his back and moving onto his stomach. He heard the clink of his belt as he lost consciousness.

 **The summary does say adult content. So, yeah, as you've probably realized, that's what the next chapter will be about...**


	6. Chapter 6

**I gave you the warning last chapter, so be prepared for this one.**

 **Chapter 6:**

"Jack!" Elizabeth's angry voice startled him into opening his eyes.

Jack looked around, trying to remember where he was. He left soft skin on his chest and around the back of his neck. He saw her hand resting on his chest and didn't need to look to know that the other was wrapped around his neck. His brow furrowed in confusion. He looked down towards the foot of the bed to see that her naked body was on top of his midsection. He was naked as well.

"What the bloody hell…" He mumbled. He gave a tiny smirk. "Ye can't blame me on this one, love. Last I remember, I saw sittin' at that table and wearin' me clothes!"

Elizabeth didn't reply, but her face flushed red. She looked embarrassed and ashamed of herself. She rested her head back on the pillow, looking away.

"Can ye get off of me?" Jack asked.

"No." She replied.

"What?" He raised an eyebrow, surprised.

Suddenly, her lips crashed against his, pressing hard in a passionate kiss. She was fully on top of him now, one hand holding his neck and the other caressing his groin. He moaned through the kiss, pressing his lips back. His hands moved to her hips and around her back, holding her tightly. One of Jack's hands rubbed her hip and Elizabeth moaned too. Soon, they were full on hissing and moaning. She pulled her lips from his, gasping as she inhaled deeply. He rested the back of his head on the pillow, panting as well. Their bodies were equally covered in sweat.

"Jack." Elizabeth whispered after awhile.

"Mhm?" Jack grumbled in reply.

"I love you." The look in her eyes showed that she really meant it.

He gave a small smile. "As do I you, love."

After awhile, he heard her breathing deepen. She was asleep. He carefully rolled her body off of him and got out of bed. He pulled up his trousers, latching the belt tightly. Then he put on his boots and his shirt, followed by his coat and his hat. He pulled the blanket up over Elizabeth's body. Then he quietly left the room, walking in between the hammocks until he reached the stairs to the deck. He scrambled up them and entered his cabin. He took off his hat and boots, laying on his own bed and closing his eyes.

Jack had a good feeling that he'd sleep well for once. And he did.


	7. Chapter 7

Jack opened his eyes a couple of days later, full of energy and very hungry. He got out of bed. He put his hat on his head after putting on his boots and walking out on deck. Barbossa was at the wheel, carefully guiding the Pearl through the Devil's Throat towards Shipwreck Cove.

Deciding that he could trust the man with the task, Jack stumbled below deck and made way towards the galley. He opened the door to the room, ignoring the look of surprise that the cook-one of Sao Feng's men-gave him.

He stole an apple and headed back up onto deck. He spotted Elizabeth watching him from the railing and raised his eyebrows at her before giving a slight smirk and stumbling over. He reached her and leaned his back against the railing. He took a bite from his apple.

"How're you feeling, Jack?" She asked, her voice casual.

"Fine today, love." He answered after he swallowed.

"Where were you yesterday?" She asked curiously.

"Yesterday?" Jack asked. Then he had to wonder. "How long was I out?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think...I think I slept all day yesterday…"

His brow furrowed as he took another bite from the apple.

"You probably did." Elizabeth told him. "That was the first time you've slept since we rescued you."

"Good point." He admitted with a shrug. "So, how're _you_ doing today?"

"Just fine, Jack."

"Good, good."

He finished his apple and tossed the core over his shoulder, into the waves of the water. He began walking away, towards the quarterdeck.

"Where are you going?" Elizabeth asked.

"To ask Hector something." He replied. "See you later, savvy?"

He walked up the stairs without waiting for an answer. He stopped beside Barbossa.

"Good to see ye on you feet, Ja-ck." Barbossa greeted.

"I see you haven't hit anything yet." Jack replied.

"And I won't."

"How long until we arrive in the Cove?"

"About an hour." Barbossa responded, still not looking away from the path the Pearl sailed in.

Jack just gave a small nod. He actually kind of wanted to see the Keeper of the Code. He needed to talk to him, seek out some advice to deal with it all. To deal with being alive again.


	8. Chapter 8

"Lower the anchor!" Barbossa shouted from the wheel of the Black Pearl. "Raise the sails!"

Jack watched from just outside his cabin. The crew spun the spoked wheel that lowered the anchor and then began climbing up into the rigging to tie up the sails. Elizabeth and Will stood together, ready to go to land. The anchor got caught on something just before the ship crashed into land.

Jack was the first one off the ship, almost happy to be in Shipwreck Cove. He waited for everyone else to get off too. He spotted a group of other pirates coming towards them. As they got closer, he was able to make out a few of them, including the Keeper of the Code himself. The group approached them, stopping just feet away.

"Greetins' Captain Teague." Barbossa acknowledged with a cocky smile.

"Captain Barbossa." Edward Teague nodded in greeting. "Glad ye've made it."

"Glad to be back 'ere in this place." Jack said to himself, only to get the attention of everyone. "What are ye lookin' at?"

"'Ello, Jackie." Teague smiled warmly.

"Hullo, Dad." He responded, with a small smile. "Good to see ye."

A few of the pirates, including WIll and Elizabeth, looked surprised. Apparently they've never wondered about his family, much less tried to guess who his father was.

Teague gestured to his men. "They'll watch the Black Pearl for ye lot. Get comfy. I'll be seein' ye all tomorrow in the meeting."

His men boarded the Pearl, taking positions here and there. Jack knew he could trust them because his dad would never try to steal his ship. He walked over to him, staying by his side as they headed for Shipwreck City.

"Been awhile, Jackie." Teague put an hand on his shoulder. "How things been goin'?"

"Quite horribly, actually." Jack admitted. "At least the bloody beast is dead."

"Which beast?" He glanced at him.

He gave him a long look before replying. "The Kraken."

"Ye've seen it?"

"Been attacked by it actually."

"How's ye're ship still in one piece then?" Teague raised a curious eyebrow.

Jack looked away, sighing. "Davy Jones' Locker, that's why."

The older pirate looked a little worried now. "What happened, Jackie?"

"It's a long story, Dad…" He told him. "I prefer not to talk about it anyway."

"The captain always goes down with the ship. If the Pearl was in the Locker then…" Teague added all the pieces together. "...the Kraken killed ye, didn't it?"

Jack didn't respond, but gazed off distantly.

"The Locker's changed ye a lot, Jackie."

"I know." He responded tonelessly. "Everyone's been sayin' that."

They stopped walking and Teague grabbed Jack's shoulder, turning the younger man to face him. "I need to know what happened, Jackie. Tell me."

"Everything?" He asked.

"Everything."


	9. Chapter 9

**I've been busy between real life (home and school) as well as Youtube (I have a gaming channel, name is StarWarsCrazy if you want to check it out- your choice, not gonna force you). I'm sorry, high school isn't easy. But, hopefully my pirate language is still sharp!**

 **Chapter 9:**

The two pirates, father and son, had continued on to the Keeper's home and were sitting across from each other at a table. Teague was leaning closer expectantly.

"Well?" He gazed at the younger pirate. "Tell me why ye're like this, Jackie."

"Ye already figured out part of it yourself." Jack told him, crossing his arms as he leaned back in the chair. "But, if ye really want to know…"

"Jackie." The pirate nearly glared at him, knowing what trick he was going at. He paused before he continued. "Don't ye do this, not for somethin' so serious."

"Figures." The younger pirate captain raised his eyebrows briefly. "Ye really want to know, don't ye?"

"Why wouldn't I?" The Keeper asked. Then he demanded,"Look, Jackie, ye need to tell me."

"Why's that?" He asked stubbornly.

Teague narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Jus' tell me, alright?"

"Aye, fine." Jack sighed. He thought for a moment, trying to decide where to start. "This is going to be a long one...A long time ago I was hired by the-the Easter, ah wait-East India Trading Company. That's when I got me ship. They called her the Wicked Wench. They were having me deliver _people,_ not cargo so I went against them. They sank the Wench to the depths of the ocean. I made a deal with Davy Jones to server aboard his ship if he brought mine back up to the surface in one piece. He did, but it was under the name of the Black Pearl. When my thirteen years of not being the captain passed, he came after me ship and crew with the Kraken. The beast eventually caught up. We were fending her off as I was betrayed by one of me own. Chained me to the mast and left me as the last one on the ship. I got free just as she was on top of me, but it was too late. They just rescued me from the Locker."

"Oh, Jackie…" The older pirate sighed. "Ye oughta know that you shouldn't make deals ye'll break. And hire men ye trust! That be important."

"Barbossa had the Pearl nearly the whole bloody time." He argued.

"Aye, but listen here. The Pearl wasn't under the sea the whole time. It was sailin' for those thirteen years, that be countin' too." The Keeper pointed out.

"Aye, but I hired men I trust." Jack explained desperately. "It wasn't even a _man_ that betrayed me."

"When will ye learn, Jackie…" Teague sighed in exasperation. "Keep an eye on anyone ye don't trust."

"But I did trust her! What do ye think a betrayal is?" He threw his hands in the air.

"Keep an eye on everyone, even the ones ye trust." The older pirate advised. "Ye best be careful, Jackie. Especially now. If Jones finds out that ye're back…"

"He won't, Dad." The younger pirate declared, though he doubted it himself.

"We'll be seein' bout that soon enough." The Keeper responded. "Now we best be gettin' ye back to your old self for 'morrow."


	10. Chapter 10

Jack stared unappetized at the meal on the table before him. Teague sat across the table, arms crossed, as he watched his son. Something in the younger man's eyes showed that he wasn't paying attention to anything in the real world.

 _Poor lad, must be stuck in the world of memories._ Teague thought to himself, sighing. _Hope he'll be back to himself by 'morrow. The day's already halfway over._ For the first time, he decided something about his son. _We need the ol' Jackie back. It in't right seeing him like t'is. All the years trin' to get 'im to shut up and now the Locker's done it for me. No man should have to go through that pain, no matter who they be._

"Jackie, ye best eat somethin'." The Keeper spoke up, only to get no visible response. "Jackie." He reached across the table and gave the younger pirate's shoulder a not quite gentle or rough shake. The man jumped, his head snapping up. "Boy, eat somethin'."

"Not hungry." Jack responded, emotionless, as he shifted in his chair, recovering from the shock of being suddenly shaken.

"John Teague." The older man narrowed his eyes, knowing how to get the younger captain to listen.

"Oi! Don't call me that." He piped up. A sparkle of the man's old self showed. "Ye know I don't like bein' called by me real name."

Teague stood up, roughly pushing in his chair. "Eat somethin' before I'm back. Don't need a Pirate Lord back from the dead to starve himself, not already."

The Keeper left the room without waiting for the younger pirate to object.

*X*

Jack sighed deeply after his father had left. To be honest with himself, he really was hungry. His stomach was twisted with hunger pains, considering the last meal he ate was the one Elizabeth forced him to eat. But he continued to look at the food, trying not to be attracted to it. Then he remembered what Teague had said. The man didn't take things like this easily. If he wanted him to eat, it was best to do it. If he was any other man besides himself, Jack'd be shot for not obeying. But that didn't mean he could still get away untouched for disobeying.

The pirate captain sighed, grabbing the fork and beginning to eat. He ate it all, soothing the pain in his stomach. He got to his feet when he finished, going over to where his bedroom was. The one he'd spent a good portion of his childhood in. Everything was as it'd been the day he'd last left it; nothing had changed.

Why wasn't he surprised?

Jack yawned, glancing at the bed with a sigh.

*X*

"Jackie!" Teague called, nearly yelling. "Where ye gone off to?"

The empty plate and fork sat on the table, the chair not pushed in. At least the younger man had ate something. But where'd he disappear to?

The Keeper searched most of the house before coming upon Jack's old bedroom, door mostly closed, room dark. He opened the door and went in, seeing the lump of a sleeping form in the bed.

"Jackie?" He called softly.

There was no audible reply. The younger captain was getting the sleep he needed, finally.


	11. Chapter 11

**MMM: Hey, been awhile since I've seen you around. Glad you're still interested. Yeah, Teague and Jack do have a close relationship, don't they? I've been enjoying writing them, especially their interactions with each other. And I'm afraid that after this there's only really Jack recovering and the Court meeting, not really anything else. No, he won't be doing any more of that with Elizabeth.**

 **Chapter 11:**

Several hours later, Jack woke up, his mind scarred from remembering old memories again. Pulling aside the curtains from his bed, he saw that the shadows were long in Shipwreck City. The day was nearly over, and the next he'd be in the Brethren Court meeting. He wasn't ready for it, not yet. Sighing deeply, he closed the curtains again. Maybe if he went back to sleep it'd pass right by.

Getting comfortable, he closed his eyes and let sleep overcome him once more.

" _Why should I sail with any of you? Four of you have tried to kill me in the past." He stated, his gaze moving to Elizabeth, latching onto her spitefully."One of you succeeded."_

 _Will looked back at his soon-to-be wife, clearly puzzled. She looked at the ground, obviously hoping no one would realize it'd been her._

" _Oh, she's not told you." Jack found himself smirking in the midst of his enragement. "You'll have loads to talk about while you're here."_

 _Then he'd gone on to select who'd go with him, though they'd all gone anyway._

His sleeping form shook with fear as he remembered those many days, possibly even months, inside the Locker.

 _Pain, teeth, blood…darkness._

 _Light. Lots of light. Endless land. No one, no thing in sight besides a single ship. The Black Pearl. And of it's crew? Many men who looked and sounded alike. All of multiple personalities too. The Jacks. The real Jack's worst nightmare._

" _Ahoy, Captain Sparrow!" One called to him._

 _He just stood there, gaping in confusion and astonishment._

" _Come aboard, Captain!" Another offered._

 _He began walking towards it, climbing up the rope they threw to him._

" _Welcome, Captain Sparrow." A third greeted. "Orders?"_

" _Raise the anchor! Lower the sails!" Jack answered, confidently, smiling even._

" _Aye, Capt'n!" The fake Jacks chorused, getting to work._

Gasping, Jack accidentally shot bolt upright and smacked a vase off of the small bed table next to him. He flinched as the sound of shattering glass rang through the house.

"Jackie!" Teague called, his voice half worry, half annoyance.

A miniature Jack was on his shoulder. "Now ye've done it."

He glared at it. "Shut up."

The young captain looked over the edge of the bed to see small shards and pieces of glass scattered across the wooden floor. He sighed, angry with himself. He heard fast paced, but not quite running, footsteps coming towards the bedroom. The door opened, the Keeper standing there. The other man looked up at him, giving him a small shrug.

"Sorry 'bout that." Jack sighed, looking back down at the glass. "Accidentally bumped it."

Teague still looked unimpressed. "I see that, Jackie."

"Ye want me to clean it up?" The younger pirate asked.

"I'll have someone do it later." The man responded. "I jus' got back from your ship, boy. First Mate's lookin' for ye."

"Can't Gibbs last a day without me aboard?" Jack complained, getting out of bed.

"Apparently not." Teague responded.

The Pearl's captain pulled on his boots, attached his sword to his belt, grabbed his flintlock, and then put on his hat. "I'll be seein' ye later then, I suppose?"

"Aye." The Keeper nodded. "Ye better get a move on, Jackie."

"Workin' on it." Jack slipped past him and out of the room.

He left the building, walking through the streets of Shipwreck City until he reached the Cove. The sun had begun to set and the sky was orange on the horizon. He made his way over to where the Pearl was docked up. Gibbs stood just off of the ship, arms crossed.

"Cap'n." He greeted him.

"What do ye need, Mr. Gibbs?" The captain asked, raising an eyebrow impatiently.

"The crew wishes to leave the ship, Jack." Gibbs answered. "They're gettin' restless."

"Teague's men are watching over the Pearl, so tell the crew they can if they want." Jack told him. "Also, find a place to get Will and Elizabeth settled in."

"Aye, Cap'n." The First Mate nodded in reply.

Not even a minute after he had gone back aboard the ship, a huge group of men raced down the plank, hurrying towards the city. Their captain watched from the shadows, the light of the setting sun missing him.

Gibbs walked down to the dock from aboard the ship, followed by Will and Elizabeth. He lead them over to Jack, who stood with his arms crossed far into the shadows. They stopped in front of him. The four stood in silence for a few moments.

The captain raised an eyebrow in the dim light of the shadows. "Well? What do ye need?"

"Jack…" The young woman spoke up, her voice quiet. "I can't tell you enough times how sorry I am for what I did."

He sighed in reply, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and answering. "We've all made our own mistakes, savvy? Mine was not realizin' what was 'bout to happen 'fore it did. I may be angry with ye still, but I forgave ye long ago."

"Does he know? Captain Teague?" William asked, curiously.

"Aye, but he doesn't know who's done it." Jack told him. "Best keep it that way too. He doesn't take threats- especially ones to the family- very lightly." He glanced at Elizabeth, an uncharacteristic look of dead seriousness on his face. "And considerin' what happened was more than a threat, he'll be after ye if he ever knows who it was. Don't speak of it, even among yourselves. If ye think ye're alone, ye're not. My father has eyes and ears everywhere around the cove an' city. Best keep quiet 'bout it all."

Gibbs stood there, listening, not saying a word at all.

The woman decided to throw in her opinion, one none of the other three agreed to at all. "Why don't you kill me? It's only fair since I did it to-"

Her husband threw her an are-you-crazy look.

The captain gave her a sharp glare, shutting her up immediately. "What did I jus' say? Keep quiet, savvy? We may not be friends, Elizabeth, but ye and Will 'ere stood between me and a noose. I won't repay that with letting Teague avenge my death. Besides, ye're one of us. Ye're meant to be a pirate too, y'know. Selfishness, it's what describes us, savvy? Ye shouldn't be feelin' bad at all."

A single tear slid down her cheek as he said that. When she spoke, her voice trembled slightly. "A-and if he does find out?"

"Then I'll protect ye meself." Jack's eyes narrowed. "Ye can count on that."

Will, who'd been tense, relaxed at those words. He was glad that Jack still had some spirit and life in the shell of his former self.

"Are we done?" Gibbs asked, glancing between the other three. "We ought to be getting ye two settled in."

"Yes." Elizabeth whispered in reply.

Young Turner through an arm around her shoulders as the couple followed Gibbs into the city. Jack watched them go, eyeing the rising moon. He barely spotted a couple of Teague's men approaching from where the others had gone from.

He turned towards them. "Ye need somethin'?"

"Captain Teague is looking for you." One of them spoke up. "He wants you to return to his place for supper and prepare for the meeting tomorrow."

"Very well then." The captain sighed. "I'll be on my way back there then."


	12. Chapter 12

**MMM: Find out that it was her who killed him? We'll see. No, I've not read The Price of Freedom.**

 **Chapter 12:**

Jack entered the building swiftly, closing the door behind him. He headed up to the second floor, where the kitchen and dining room were. He found one of his father's servants there, cooking the meal. One of the oldest servants around the building as well, and one Jack had known throughout his childhood.

"Good to see you, Jack." The elderly woman smiled. "Are you looking for your father?"

"Aye." He responded, holding back the urge to take something from the counter. "Ye know where he is?"

"Up in his study, I believe." She told him.

"Thanks, appreciate it." He said, snatching an apple from the counter on the way out anyway.

He took a bite from it as he headed up to the top and third floor of the house. Despite all the years away from this place, he remembered it well. It hadn't changed much at all. The wooden walls still old and dusty, the floorboards still creaking with most of the steps. He heard the familiar sound of a guitar as he got closer to Teague's study. He reached it and entered, interrupting the peaceful music that his father was playing.

"Ye wanted me, eh?" Jack asked, swallowing a mouthful of apple.

"Jackie, in many ways ye still haven't changed." Teague sighed. "Still intruding all the time."

The younger pirate captain smirked, answering before taking another bite of the fruit in his hand. "It wouldn't be me if I'd changed."

"What took ye so long, boy?" The Keeper raised an eyebrow, glancing up at him as he set down his guitar.

"Well, I used me feet, not a ride." He responded, honestly, with a shrug.

"Of course ye didn't bother for a ride…." Teague grumbled.

"Ye want to head to the kitchen?" Jack asked.

"Looks like ye've already been there, Jackie." The older man nodded at the apple.

He smirked. "Aye, maybe." He took another bite, swallowing before continuing. "But t'is is a snack, not supper."

The Keeper shook his head, getting to his feet. "Let's go then."

Together, the two pirates left the room and reached the staircase, walking down it's extra-creaky boards. They headed through the second floor hallway, towards the kitchen and dining room.

"Seein' ye're actin' a little more normal, Jackie." Teague commented as they walked down the hall.

"Am I?" Jack joked, pretending to be shocked. Then he shrugged,"Guess it's jus' bein' back 'round 'ere again."

The other man smiled, glad to see the real Captain Jack Sparrow popping up more and more. "It's good to have ye back 'round 'ere too." He responded.

They reached the door to the dining room, entering. They found that the food was already at the table waiting for them. The two pirates sat down and began to eat, the younger man not needed to be forced to.

Jack was almost back to his normal, crazy self.


	13. Chapter 13

**Decided that this is just about a great spot to stop it, so I'm posting two chapters back-to-back for the ending. Hope you've all enjoyed reading it. Have a good day, mates.**

 **Chapter 13:**

Jack left for the Brethren Court meeting early. He was there before the Keeper himself, arguing over stupid things and cracking up confusing jokes as if nothing had ever happened to him. His crew and Barbossa were glad to see it, even if annoyed by him as usual.

Slowly, the Pirate Lords and their crews came in, filling up the small room. When Elizabeth finally came in and saw him, all traces of guilt had left her face, though she still seemed upset about something else.

The pirates conversed about random topics until it was finally decided upon to start. Barbossa gained their attention. When the meeting began, the some of the first words of the man group were about of where Sao Feng was. Elizabeth responded by saying he was dead and she was taking his place. A few protests rang out before they were all shut up. After realizing that Will wasn't among them for some reason, they began to plan out what to do when the Navy found them in less than hours.

"Gentlemen, my ladies, we must free Calypso." Barbossa spoke up after a long speech.

A moment of silence passed before everyone broke out in protest.

"Shoot him!"

"Cut out his tongue!"

"Shoot him, cut out his tongue, and then shoot his tongue!" Jack put in. "...And trim that scraggly beard."

"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa!" A man from Singapore pointed out.

"Aye." One of his fellow Singaporeans agreed.

Barbossa shot his pistol at the ceiling, gaining their attention once again. He started to give a long explanation of why they should do it. Then Jack put in a question that made Barbossa climb off the table he was standing on and ask him what his idea was.

"Cuttlefish." He suggested. "Eh? Let us not, my dear friends, forget our dear friends, the Cuttlefish." He muttered a few things to a couple of the pirates. Then he continued. "So, yes, we could hole up here well provisioned and well armed and half of us will be dead within the month, which seems grim to me anyway your slice is. OR. As my Leonard colleage so naively suggests, we could release Calypso and we can pray she will be merciful." He lowered his voice for a moment. "I rather doubt it." He spoke louder once again. "Can we in fact pretend that she is anything other than a woman scorned by which fury hell hath? No, we cannot. We are left with one option. I agree with, and I cannot believe the words that are coming out of me mouth, Captain Swann." He gestured to Elizabeth, who stood at the other end of the table. "We must fight."

Protests broke out and even Barbossa pitched in.

"Ye've always run away from a fight!"

"Have not!" He lied.

"Ye have so!" The man narrowed his eyes

"Have not!" Jack responded.

"Ye have so!" Barbossa repeated.

"Have not!"

"Ye have so, and ye know it!"

"Have not, slander and calumny." Jack finally came up with an explanation, finally. "I have only even embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. I submit that here now that is what we all must do. We must fight!...to run away."

"Aye!" Gibbs shouted, starting a chorus among the other pirates.

"As per the code,"Barbossa spoke up, remaining calm somehow,"an act of war, and this be exactly, that only can be declared by the Pirates' King."

"You made that up." Jack accused, not wanting to know what his father would decide.

"Did I now?" The other man asked, cockily raising an eyebrow. "I call on Captain Teague , Keeper of the Code."

Shocked, Jack's face turned into a deep frown. One of the men spoke up in protest of the whole situation. He was interrupted by a gunshot to the chest, falling over backwards. Everyone turned to see Teague blow the smoke from his pistol.

"The Code is the law." The Keeper reminded them.

Jack glumly stood there, not looking at his father. Everyone else retook their seats without a word. The Pearl's captain stood there in front of the table not moving even when he heard footsteps approaching him from behind.

"Ye're in my way, boy." Teague told him.

Jack awkwardly moved a couple of paces sideways to give him room. He gestured for two men, who came from behind them carrying a huge, ancient book. The other pirates murmured among each other in awe. The Keeper whistled and a small dog, the same one from the prison of Port Royal, came into the room, holding the keys to the book's lock. He took the keys from it.

A couple of men, Ragetti and Pintel, questioned how the dog got there.

"Sea turtles, mate." Jack responded, his voice serious, yet his words full of humor.

The Keeper unlocked and opened the book, the front of it hitting the table with a thump. He scanned the page he'd opened to, looking for a certain line of text.

"Barbossa is right." He announced quietly after a moment.

"Hang on a minute." Jack stood over the book, reading what his father just had. He would not be proved wrong by his own father in front of the whole Court. He couldn't have it. He said what he read outloud, muttering. "It shall be the duties of the King to declare war, following...Fancy that." He tapped the book in satisfaction, looking up at the others.

Then one of the others spoke up, saying he wanted a vote for a new Pirate King, for there hadn't been a vote since the first court. He also mentioned that it wasn't likely to change, Teague agreeing.

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked, confused.

Gibbs answered her. "See, the Pirate King is elected by popular vote."

"And each pirate only even votes for himself." Barbossa added.

Teague moved away from the table, sitting down in a chair.

"I call for a vote." Jack spoke up.

The sound of Teague's guitar rang out just as the applause from the other pirates came. The pirates went through, voting for themself each time. Even Elizabeth voted for herself.

Smirking, Jack gave his answer. "Elizabeth Swan."

Barbossa's smile faded into a frown. He obviously wasn't happy.

"What?" The woman asked in confusion.

"I know, curious, isn't it?" The Pearl's captain responded.

Arguing broke out once again. The pirates shouted and pointed to themselves, saying their name. Jack opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't come up with anything.

Then something came to mind. "Am I to understand that you lot will not be keeping to the Code then?"

The music from the guitar stopped suddenly as a string snapped and Teague glared up at all of them. Everyone froze, the ones who'd stood up sitting back down nervously.

"Very well." Mistress Ching spoke up. "We say you, Captain Swan, King of the Brethren Court."

Everyone was silent as Elizabeth spoke. "Prepare every vessel that floats. At dawn, we're at war."

"And, so we shall go to war." A squeaky voiced man stated.

Arguing broke out, lots of arguing. Yelling, screaming, everything.

Jack turned around, approaching his father. "What? Ye've seen it all, done it all, you survived. That's the trick, in't it, to survive?"

"It's not jus' about livin' forever, Jackie." Teague told him, standing up and setting his guitar aside. He walked up to his son, facing him. "The trick is livin' with yourself forever."

"How's mum?" He asked quietly.

The Keeper just held up a shrunken, shriveled up head that hung from a necklace to show him in reply.

"She looks great." Jack commented.

He slept well that night, all his worries put aside, as he was eager for the war to come.

 **~Fin~**


End file.
